Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a beverage machine with a rotatable brew chamber, and more particularly, to a beverage machine with a rotatable brew chamber wherein the brew chamber is moved upwardly and downwardly and rotated forwardly and backwardly by means of an operation of a lever and high pressure air is supplied to a water outlet pipe connecting a temperature conversion tank and the brew chamber with each other, thus completely discharging the liquid remaining in the water outlet pipe.
Background of the Related Art
A capsule type coffee machine, which has been much sold recently in a market, is configured to insert a capsule, pod, a pack or the like in which coffee beans or milk is contained into a tray of a water outlet portion, to supply high temperature and high pressure water to the interior of the capsule through a brew chamber, and to provide the coffee beverage discharged therefrom for a user.
The coffee machine has a storage tank in which water having a room temperature is stored and a temperature conversion tank in which the water supplied from the storage tank is heated and stored therein. The water discharged from the temperature conversion tank is supplied to the interior of the capsule mounted in the brew chamber.
So as to mount the capsule into the brew chamber, the tray or container should be exposed to the outside. Generally, in the state wherein the tray capable of being drawn like a drawer is completely separated from the coffee machine, the capsule is put into the tray, and next, the tray is fitted to the interior of the brew chamber of the coffee machine.
Recently, a coffee machine having the brew chamber rotated and moved at the same time by means of a container rotated by one operation has been proposed.
FIGS. 1a to 1d are sectional views showing the procedure for opening/closing a brew chamber of a coffee machine in the conventional practice.
The conventional coffee machine has a housing adapted to support the parts mounted at the inside thereof, and generally, the brew chamber is located at the front surface of the upper end portion of the housing.
A container 20 into which a capsule is accommodated is rotatably fixed to the housing. The top portion of the container 20 is closed by means of a cap 22, and the cap 22 is rotatably fixed to the housing.
The container 20 is rotated between a vertical position (closed state) closed by the cap 22 and a forwardly inclined position (open state). The container 20 is reciprocated between the vertical position and the inclined position around first rotating axis A1 connected to the housing.
If the container 20 is rotated and located to the inclined position, the open top surface of the container 20 is exposed forwardly, and thus, the capsule can be inserted or drawn.
Further, the cap 22 is rotated with respect to the housing around second rotating axis A2, and if the cap 22 is moved downwardly, it comes into contact with the open top surface of the container 20. At this time, the container 20 becomes closed. Further, if the cap 22 is rotated upwardly and distant from the container 20, the container 20 becomes open.
The operations of the container 20 and the cap 22 are performed by means of one lever 40, and as the lever 40 pulls or pushes, that is, protrusions 36 moving along guide grooves 38 formed on the container 20 guide the rotation of the container 20 and the downward movement of the cap 22.
In the state where the container 20 is completely open, if the lever 40 is moved down forwardly, the container 20 is rotated to the closed position and at the same time the cap 22 is rotated downwardly and moved down.
In the state where the container 20 completely stands up, the cap 22 is moved down along the guide grooves 38, so that the container 20 and the cap 22 are brought into close contact with each other, thus making the brew chamber closed.
So as to perform the above-mentioned operations, by the way, the container 20 and the cap 22 should be connected to the housing by means of their respective rotating shafts. However, the cap 22 generally has a water inlet nozzle from which water is supplied, and a water outlet pipe from which hot water is supplied is connected to the water inlet nozzle. If the water inlet nozzle connected to the water outlet pipe is moved together with the operation of the cap 22, the internal structure becomes complicated, and since the sharp water inlet nozzle attached to the cap 22 is exposed to the outside, it may cut a user's finger. Further, the user's finger may be caught between the cap and the container.